Manager Joe Torre has talked to Giambi – and the chat had an impact on the free-agent slugger, according to a source close to the contract talks.

“He has talked to the front office and the manager and he was impressed,” the source said of Giambi.

Torre doesn’t have to beat the bushes for talent like a college coach. However, when he calls, free agents they listen.

A year ago, Mike Mussina said that hearing from Torre was the difference between staying in Baltimore and coming to The Bronx. Now, Torre has rapped with Giambi, and every indication is that Giambi will soon be fitted for pinstripes.

“I am not going to comment on terms, number of years or dollars, or if an official has been made,” Arn Tellem, Giambi’s agent told The Post last night. “We are talking.”

With George Steinbrenner in Chicago for an owner’s meeting today, nothing is expected to happen. However, people close to Giambi expect an official offer from the Yankees today or tomorrow.

The Yankees want to know what Giambi’s plans are as soon as possible, because if he isn’t coming, they want to move in other directions.

Giambi, who is in the Bay Area, might want to take a little longer than the Yankees would like, but all indications are that Giambi is headed for The Bronx thanks to a seven-year contract worth $119 million.

Giambi is miffed the A’s haven’t made an offer better than the six-year, $91 million deal last March that didn’t include a no-trade clause.

They got around to the no-trade last month, but it wasn’t enough to keep Giambi from testing the free-agent market after batting .342 with 38 homers and 120 RBIs. Having granted Derek Jeter and Mike Mussina no-trade clauses, the Yankees don’t have a problem with offering Giambi the same deal.

One theory is that the A’s are waiting for Giambi to come back to them before making him an offer because they don’t want to re-sign him. And when he presents a $119 million package to them wrapped in Yankee pinstripes, the A’s will simply say it’s far too much for them to match and try to save face with their fans, who adore Giambi.

“With [George] at the owners’ meetings in Chicago, nothing is going to happen [today],” a source said. “But it’s moving forward, just like they did last year with [Mike] Mussina. Everything points to it getting done.”

Of course, The Boss isn’t going to throw that type of money around without Giambi having a physical. And while Mussina visited team doctor Stuart Hershon in New York last year, it’s not out of the question that Giambi could get poked and probed in Tampa by Steinbrenner’s collection of doctors.

Just because they are the front-runners for Giambi doesn’t mean the Yankees aren’t addressing their other needs.

They still have an eye on deals for Roberto Alomar or Gary Sheffield, and they are interested in trading for Daryle Ward, a left-handed hitter with the Astros to serve as their DH.

And they have talked to the agents for pitchers Sterling Hitchcock, Steve Karsay and Jason Schmidt. Kenny Lofton and Roger Cedeno remain in the picture to play left and lead off.